Roller coating machine



Feb. 11, W E. HE N ROLLER COATI NG MACHI NE Original Filed March 6, I954 2 Sheets-Sheet l QNVENTOR WILL /A M E. SHEHAN $075K Wank;

ATTORNEY 1936. w. E. SHEHAN 2,030,325

ROLLER COATING MACHINE Original Filed March 6, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I E 3 F'I EAL- u 2 5.9 A 55 23 53 32 s 5660 53 6'4 K32 FIGS. PIES- INVENTOR F I ELI. WILLIAM E. SHEHAN ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Renewed November 20, 1935 Application March 8, 1934, Serlal No. 714,212

6 Claim.

This invention relates to a machine. for coating slats with fluent material such as paints, lacquers, varnishes and the like. The embodiment disclosed herein is adapted for applying a 5 coating to slats for Venetian blinds. It will be understood however, that the specific embodiment is merely illustrative of the invention. Roller coating machines have been used for the purpose of coating slats, but in machines in current use the coating material has commonly been applied directly to the distributing rollers from supply wells. The result is that a surplusage of the coating material has been applied to the distributing rollers. As the slat emerges from between the rollers, a blob of coating material has been left on the tail end of the slat, and it has been the practice to cut oil the end carrying the blob causing additional labor and wastage of wood. Furthermore, due to the surplusage, if the slat contains holes or indentations a film of the coating material is spread over the mouth of the indentation or hole. The surface tension then causes breaking of the film and resultant blobs at the lips of the mouths. Slats for Venetian blinds are formed with holes for passage of control cords in the assembled blind. In order to avoid formation of blobs at the edges of the holes, it has been the practice to cut the holes after the slat has been coated on its faces. The walls of the holes thus out are then coated by hand. This results in added labor.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a roller coating machine which will apply a coating to slats having indentations or holes and will not leave blobs of coating on the faces.

These objects together with other objects and corresponding accomplishments are obtained by means of the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

40 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a coating machine with a part of the bed broken out to make the view more compact; Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the roller unit, the side coating rollers being omitted and parts being shown in sectional elevation; Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the unit shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of the side coating roller assemblage; Fig. 6 is a side eleva- 5 tional view of the assemblage shown in Fig. Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of a fragment of the roller unit showing the adjustable bearing mounting; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view as seen on the plane indicated by 8-8 in Fig. 7.

55 Referring with more particularity to the draw ings, a frame III is shown constructed of suitable bars. This frame 10 supports a roller frame ll having side columns l2 at the head end and side columns 13 at the tail end. A shaft H is journalled in bearings fixed to the side columns I 2 5 and overhangs the frame ll having a feed roller l5 fixed thereto. A shaft I6 is journalled in bearings fixed to the side columns l2 above shaft II and has a distributing roller l1 fixed thereto and disposed in frictional engagement with feed 10 roller l5. Roller I1 is preferably formed of a composition such as sponge rubber having resiliency, such compositions being well known in the art. A bearing mounting I8 is secured to columns l2 by means of bolts I9 extending through 15 elongated slots 20. An adjusting screw 2| is threadedly secured to a projection on mounting l8 and to the top rail |2a of the column for adjusting the elevation of mounting l8. Fixed to mounting l8 are bearings, one for a shaft 22. A distributing roller 23 is mounted on the overhanging end of shaft 22 and forms a companion for roller I! which is spaced therefrom. A second set of bearings is fixed to mounting l8 and journalled therein is a shaft 24 carrying a feed roller 25 25 which is fixed thereto. Thus, shafts 22 and 24 are mounted on mounting l8 as a unit and may be raised and lowered so that distributing roller 23 may be adjusted to or from roller l1 and thereby accommodate the space between them for transfer of a desired amount of coating material. Rollers l1 and 23 are for the purpose of coating the faces of slats passed between them.

A well 26 in the form of a box is disposed below roller 25 and is kept filled with fluent coating material to a level such that feed roller l5 dips therein and carries a film of coating to distributing roller IT. The feed roller l5 and distributing roller I'I being in contact any surplus coating material is expressed. A well 21 for 40 delivering coating material to feed roller 25 is disposed above the latter. An orifice for outlet of coating material is controlled by an adjustable needle valve 28. The coating material passing from well 21 to feed roller 25 is spread longitudinally over the latter by the expressing action of feed roller 25 and distributing roller 23.

Journalled in hearings on columns l3 are shafts carrying conveyor rollers 29 and 30 with the space between them alining with the space between rollers l1 and 23. Pinions, one indicated by 3| are fixed to ends of the conveyor roller shafts and are meshed with one another. Pinions 33 and 34 are journalled on columns l3 and meshed with the aforesaid pinions. Secured to each of the piniohs is a sprocket wheel. hhafts (it, it, 22 and 2% have sprocket wheels secured to the ends thereof and the sprocket wheels are geared together by sprocket chains 95. 3t, 3t and 38. The shaft carrying conveyor roller 28 is extended to a gear box 8%) mounted on a driving motor All. The gearingis of such a character that all rollers are positively driven to have the same peripheral speeds. Rollers 29 and 80 are preferably made of hard rubber to firmly grip a slat and convey it to the rollers i1 and 28.

In order to conveniently deliver slats to the conveyor rollers, the frame is provided with a bed iii formed by a slotted bar and a table 42 at one side. The bed 4| has its upper surface aimed with the spaces between rollers ll, 23 and rollers 2%), to. Guide posts 43 are fixed to the bed iii and define a space in which a slat may he guided to the conveyor rollers. Slot 44 in the bed iii is formed to slidably receive a shoe on a push carriage 45. A rod 66 extends into a bore in carriage $5 and is fastened thereto by a set screw 5?. By sliding the rod forwardly and backwardly, carriage 45 is moved to and from the conveyor rollers. Rod 46 is pivotally secured at its head end 45' to a lever arm 48 which is pivotally mounted at its lower end to a bracket 35' fixed to frame i0. By rocking the lever arm 48 rod 46 may be moved longitudinally of itself. Pivotally mounted at 48" on the frame I is a pedal 49 having an arm 50 fixedly secured thereto. Arm is pivotally secured to arm 45 by a link 5|. A tension spring 52 tends to hold rod 45 with the push carriage 45 in its outermost position. Depression of pedal 49 will cause movement of push carriage 45 toward the conveyor rollers. Release of the pedal allows spring 52 to restore carriage 45 to its outermost position. A number of slats may be placed on table 42 A slat s is transferred from the table to bed 4!. The motor- 40 being in operation. the machine operator depressed pedal 49 thereby causing the selected slat to be pushed forward for engagement by the conveyor rollers 29 and 99. The conveyor rollers then move the slat between the face rollers l1 and 23 which transfer a layer of coating material to the faces of the slat. The slat is finally discharged by the face rollers.

Means is provided for coating the sides of the slat during its travel. There is a side coating mechanism 32 on each side of the path of travel of the slats through the machine. As these mechanisms are duplicates except as to reversal of positions, it will be sufllcient to describe only one. An arm 53 is pivotally secured to frame I I. A screw 54 is also secured to the frame and passed through a projection on the arm. A wing nut 55 is threaded on screw 54 and may engage arm 53. Pivotally mounted on the free end of arm 53 are roller arms 55 and 51 with spring means tending to close them on one another. Journalled on the ends of arms 55 and 51 are rollers 58 and 59. Intermediate rollers 58 and is an idler roller 50 joumalied on the pivot pin or arms 56 and 51. Roller 59 engages an end of face roller 23 and carries coating material therefrom to roller 60 and thence to side distributing roller 59. Wing nut 55 is adjusted to maintain roller 59 in contact with a side of a slat and roller 58 in contact with face roller 23. Thus, coating material will be distributed to the sides of a slat, so that in the travel of the latter, the sides and faces will be coated uniformly.

It will be noted that the top rollers 23 and 25 may be run dry and the bottom rollers and ill need for. coating-one side. of a slat. This permits a slat to-be coated with different colors on opposite faces. A slat maybe run through the machine to coat one face with one color, then the color changed and the slat turned over and 5 coated on the other face.

What I claim is:

1. In a slat coating machine, the combination of a frame: a face roller journailed on said frame,

a feed roller journalled on said frame and fricl0 tionally engaged with said face roller for carrying coating material to the latter, supply means for carrying coating material to said feed roller; a companion face roller iournalled on said frame.

a feed roller Journalled on said frame and fric- 15 tionally engaged with said companion face rollen. supply means for carrying coating material to said last mentioned feed roller, said face rollers being spaced to accommodate thetravel of a slat therebetween; driving means gearing all of said rollers together; means to direct a slat for engagement between said face rollers; side coating roller mechanisms, one mounted at each end of a face roller, each mechanism comprising a roller carrier mounted on said frame for lateral adjustment with respect to said slat, a side feed roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally engaged with an end of a face roller, an intermediate roller iournalled on said carrier and frictionally in train with said side feed roller. and a' side distributing roller journalled on said frame and frictionally in train with said intermediate roller, said side distributing roller being resiliently mounted to be engaged with a side of a slat.

2. In a slat coating machine. the combination of a frame: a face roller journalled on said frame, a feed roller .iournalled on said frame and frictionally engaged with said face roller for carrying coating material to the latter, supply means,

for carrying coating material to said feed roller; a companion face roller journalled on said frame, a feed roller journalled on said frame. and frictionally engaged with said companion face roller.

supply means for carrying coating material to,-

said last mentioned feed roller, said face rollers being spaced to accommodate the travel of a slat therebetween; driving means gearing all of said rollers together; a bed having a surface alined with the space between said face rollers for slidably supporting a slat, a carriage riding on said bed and having an abutment to engage the end of a slat, means to move said carriage and slide a slat engaged therewith toward said face rollers;

side coating roller mechanisms, one'mounted at I each end of a face roller, each mechanism comprising a roller carrier mounted on said frame for lateral adjustment with respect to said slat, a side feed roller joumalled on said carrier and frictionally engaged with an end of a face roller, an

intermediate roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally in train with said side feed roller, and a side distributing roller journalled on said frame and frictionally in train with said intermediate roiler, said side distributing roller being resiliently mounted to be engaged with a side of a slat.

3. In a slat coating machine, the combination of a frame: a face roller journalled on said frame,

a feed roller journalled on said frame and fric- 7 nalled in said mounting, a feed roller journalled 15 in said mounting and frictionally engaged with said companion face roller, supply means for carrying coating material to said last mentioned feed roller, said bearing mounting being adjustably supported on said frame for varying the space between said face rollers; a pair of conveyor rollers having a space therebetween alined with the first mentioned space; driving means gearing all of said rollers together; side coating roller mechanisms, one mounted at each end of a face distributing roller, each mechanism comprising a roller carrier mounted on said frame for lateral adjustment with respect to said slat, a side feed roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally engaged with an end of a face roller, an intermediate roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally in train with said side feed roller, and a side distributing roller journalled on said frame and frictionally in train with said intermediate roller, said side distributing roller being resiliently mounted to be engaged with a side of a slat.

4. In a slat coating machine, the combination of a frame: a face roller journalled on said frame,

a feed roller journalled on said frame and frictionally engaged with said face .roller for carrying coating material to the latter, supply means for carrying coating material to said feed roller; a bearing mounting, a companion face roller journalled in said mounting, a feed roller journalled in said mounting and frictionally engaged with said companion face roller, supply means for carrying coating material to said last mentioned feed roller, said bearing mounting being adjustably supported on said frame for varying the space between said face rollers; a pair of conveyor rollers having a space therebetween alined with the first mentioned space; driving means gearing all of said rollers together; means to deliver a slat for engagement between said conveyor rollers; side coating roller mechanisms, one mounted at each end of a face roller, each mechanism comprising a roller carrier mounted on said frame for lateral adjustment with respect to said slat, a side feed roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally engaged with an end of a face roller, an intermediate roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally in train with said side feed roller, and a side distributing roller journalled on said frame and frictionally in train with said intermediate roller, said side distributing roller being resiliently mounted to be engaged with a side of a slat.

5. In a slat coating machine, the combination of a frame: a face roller journalled on said frame. a feed roller Joumalled on said frame and frictionally engaged with said face roller for carrying coating material to the latter, supply means for carrying coating material to said feed roller; a bearing mounting, a companion face roller journalled in said mounting, a feed roller joumailed in said mounting and frictionally engaged with said companion face roller, supply means for carrying coating material to said last mentioned feed roller, said bearing mounting being adjustably supported on said frame for varying the space between said face rollers; a pair of conveyor rollers having a space therebetween alined with the first mentioned space; driving means gearing all of said rollers together; a bed having a surface alined with said spaces for slidably supporting a slat, means to slide a slat along said bed between said conveyor rollers; side coating roller mechanisms, one mounted at each end of a face roller, each mechanism comprising a roller carrier mounted on said frame for lateral adjustment with respect to said slat, a side feed roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally engaged with an end of a face roller, an intermediate roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally in train with said side feed roller, and a side distributing roller journalled on said frame and frictionally in train with said intermediate roller, said side distributing roller being resiliently mounted to be engaged with a side of a slat.

6. In a slat coating machine, the combination of a frame: a face roller j oumalled on said frame, a feed roller journalled on said frame and frictionally engaged with said face roller for carrying coating material to the latter, supply means for carrying coating material to said feed roller; a bearing mounting, a companion face roller journalled in said mounting, a feed roller journalled in said mounting and frictionally engaged with said companion face roller, supply means for carrying coating material to said last mentioned feed roller, said bearing mounting being adjustably supported on said frame for varying the space between said face rollers; a pair of conveyor rollers having a space therebetween alined with the first mentioned space; driving means gearing all of said rollers together; a bed having a surface alined with said spaces for slidably supporting a slat, a carriage riding on said bed and having an abutment to engage the end of a slat, means to move said carriage and slide a slat engaged therewith between said conveyor rollers; side coating roller mechanisms, one mounted at each end of a face roller, each mechanism comprising a roller carrier mounted on said frame for lateral adjustment with respect to said slat, a side feed roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally engaged with an end of a face roller, an intermediate'roller journalled on said carrier and frictionally in train with said side feed roller, and a side distributing roller journalled on said frame and frictionally in train with said intermediate roller, said side distributing roller being resiliently mounted to be engaged with a side of a slat.

' WILLIAM E. BHEHAN. 

